The Princely State of Barwani, also known as Bharwani, was one of the well known 11 gun salute states of India that was administered by a native prince under the guidance of the British authorities. The princely state was under the indirect control of the British Empire in India. The ruling family of the state was the Rajputs of the Sisodia dynasty, who descended from the ruling family of Udaipur. The territory of Barwani was scattered over a total area of 1,178 sq miles and comprised of a total population of 176,666 in the year 1941. The princely state included around 368 villages and 2 towns; and was located in Malwa. Earlier the state was known as Awasgarh, as the capital of the state was located there. But after the native ruler, who held the title of Rana, moved the capital to Barwani around 1650, the region was renamed to Barwani state. The state was incorporated as a part of the Malwa Agency, which was a sub division of the Central India Agency.
The Princely State of Barwani was one of the westernmost states of Central India. It was bordered by the territories of the princely states of Dhar, Gwalior and Indore in the north; by Alirajpur in the northwest; by the district of Nimar in Indore in the east; by the Khandesh district of the Province of Bombay in the west and the south. The state was honoured as one of the salute states of India with a gun salute of 11 guns. The Rana of Barwani exercised full authority in all administrative and judicial matters, and was assisted by a Diwan and a council of ministers. The former princely state was divided into 4 parganas, namely Rajpur, Pansemal, Anjad and Silawad.
The Sisodia Rajputs of Udaipur, who were descendants of the second son of Bapa Rawal, named Dhank, was the ruling family of Barwani. There were around 52 Ranas of the state until the year 1947. The 35th Rana, Paras Ram was defeated by the Mughals and thus he and his 2 direct successors converted to Islam. Chandra Singh, who was the 41st Rana of Barwani, moved the capital to Barwani around 1650. Later most of the territory of Barwani was captured by the Maratha Empire in the 17th century it never became tributary to any Maratha chief. The area of the princely state reduced to a great extent. In the year 1818, the princely state of Barwani came under the protection of the British administration.
Under the British suzerainty, Barwani was a state of the Bhopawar Agency, which was a division of the Central India Agency. The residents were primarily Bhil tribals. The forests were under a British official. In the year 1947, the last ruler of the state acceded his state to the newly formed Union of India, also known as Dominion of India. Barwani was included as a part of the district of Nimar of Madhya Bharat state. Madhya Bharat was later merged to form the modern state of Madhya Pradesh on 1st November 1956.
Rulers of Princely State of Barwani
The chronology of the rulers of the princely state of Barwani are mentioned below-
Rana Jodh Singh (1675 - 1700)
Rana Parbat Singh (1700 - 1708)
Rana Mohan Singh I (1708 - 1730)
Rana Anup Singh (1730 - 1760)
Rana Umed Singh (1760 - 1794)
Rana Mohan Singh II (1794 - 1839)
Rana Jashwant Singh (1839 - 1861)
Rana Jashwant Singh (1873 - 1880)
Rana Indrajit Singh (1880 - 1894)
Rana Ranjit Singh (1894 - 1930)
Rana Devi Sahib Singhji (1930 - 1947)
